Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-08-02
THE HORSE QUESTION.
rnon .ovrm brcxrrxlp.

In penuiug . brief and hastily written
letter for the DKNocRAr on the horse ques-
ton, I had no thought OF provoking q dis
eusslon with Mr.. Maxim. whose reputa.
ton As q horscmsn, and writer OF things
sppsr,ainlng 10 that subject. has extended
FAR beyond the limits OF his native county.
In psrustng his letter. I Ind much Ia all
mlre In his noe dlotlon and plausible argu.
meuts Adduced, and many facts that are
indisputable, bot We can accsp, no mans
dlciuIa that IL contrary Ia our prtconeeiv-
ell convictions and worldly experience.
First, let me correct the Impression that
was Enthusiastically conveyed that the
msIofity OF colts raised In Oxford County
are Inferior. Msni'csily much that could
p,rtirenlly be said In q verbal or private
dlscussi0r, must n. avoided whea writing
for publication. Nc. Maxim refers me To
certain hofssmen In Duekneld who have
achieved great success by making horse
breeding q specially. l AN familiar With
the parties IN, ntiousd. Men who have
made q certaln business especially through
A series Of years are 10 be jadged, S
rule, by their pecunisfy success Ia such
calling. These men named were wei IN
DO In this worlds goods before investing,
10 any extent, In horse hesh, and even how
II l. an afiauct 20 Other forms OF profitable
business. Hut besides, these men have
done precisely A. I recommend In my for
mer iet,er,--bred only from nrst class
mares, and mind you, those men were not
compelled 20 io all the work on the farm
either. or better s,ill, they have bought
promising colts OF Others.
SIR. Maxim ssys, What no one vii dis
pu,e. that otsntimss blsmishei mare
may be preferable 90 sound one - .
breeder, slwsys provided such blsrnish IL
no, hereditary. Bat when. Ia one OF bis
articles, be spsak. OF bfc, ding up from an
Inferior mare. by uslng . good stallion, bis
meauing. obviously. was 10 breed from TIE
latter class Hut 10 selecting q few horse
men who have made the business . success.
ard ignoring large class who are strand
"a or wreck, 4 on The shore Of time, be re-
mind. me % an scquslaiance Who IL ,fhci.
eli with chrori, disease. "a. Who b.
yalniy underworld IN eject cute by the
use Of patent medicines. why d0nt
they publlsh cases where the medicine
dos.n'I curs, a. vel Is where II does cute
b. very pTopsfly asks.
an Qao,cd - saying that no one sue
ccsds, Who nikts horse breeding spc'
cialty. said not Que ia twenty succeeds.
anl that statement maintain - day. ~
be well says, . man must b. peculiarly
constituted TO Succeed In the huslncss
Not only Wise Judgement Ia The selection
% brood msfes sui stations, out proper
care and that niceiy 81 ualnlng that shill
develop al the lbhef,ut traits 81 The cot
.ni sscur, The highrsi price for ne sane.
Tie tells a. that Mr. ronpllly and others
arc constantly securing The Pine Trte
state for eligible horses. Mr.. 4. h,. BEEN
Ia Duckfsli the present. season. ! saw
him sni conysfssi With hin. and ! Wish
90 say right here. that there are = lot OF
young hof.,s OF suitable ace fOf sale fighi
here la Daclnsli, and II would not f,q1lfe
mach securing To nod them either. lie
.ps,ks OF kteplng cows IN councction with
raising colts. TO eat the cO,fse fodder. !
an ,g,ln reminded OF what, good rfmsr
once .,ld 90 ne "ii IL getting 80 ths, ouF
hor,ss .ud colts AT oil ~ The good hsJ,
leaving only The co,fse fodder fOf IN.
cows AMI other stock" idoAf isllttt ~ "
lie compares The m,uuer OF receiving
pron,s from cows, etc with that received
from colts. saying iL,i small pfonts cot.
si.n,iy received are FILTERED sw,y, and
srr 81 comparatively little Consequence.
Now, bow Omen 90 We see among our or
dln.ry class % fnmsrr. men, who, speak
Ing IN general way. have made horse
breeding speciality The Increasing
number % colts h,s compelled them ~ dis
pose OF al other stock, except psfhsps'
one OF two cows. To NEE, Bis funhltg
expense. properly feed bis colts, etc, be
Is obliged 20 place mortgage on hi. farm,
aud through some bal luck With hl. colt,
he At least. IL peculiarly ruined. Brother
farmers. Tie risk l. giea,sr 10 bofses than
In any other kiac of farm suimais.
lie formalsi.s suppcsltiOus csso OF =
nan rurnirg In debt for . pair OF estue,
and losing si5 of go In , FEW months.
Well, men have lost I've times that amount
on horse In the time mentioned. Sup'
pose, on the other hand. farmer has
raised him ap &c pair OF matched steers
AMI owns no maa . dollar. lie fliieul.s
The idea Of poor man cutting u or 80
tons OF bay kesplug yoke OF oxen, and
says be should Keep brood mare sni do
bis work with her. There ,rc exceptions
90 al rules Bui, IL the rule that .VefY
farmer should keep joke O' oxen any
more ridlculOu. than that o's farmer cut
ting Is OF 20 tons OF hsy upJn one ~ our
fOcty, billy, upland farms, sui spspdit (
the same upon The farm, dOiug bis wofs
with q mare with . colt by her sidsi IL u
qalte fair, brother Maxim. ~ dlsorn AL
Who have made failure 10 the horse basi'
ues.. and that too, With the marx OF Cain
upon their bfosi
The article OF Mr.. Maxim sbouuds with
the term speciality" No objection can
DC raised % The natural born hors' mAn
u,kltg s,p,oi,liy % horse breeding snd
n,,lng hof.ss for the m,fkst IL Is hi.
nsinr,l srd l,eillm,,e occupation for
which ut,ufe de.isnsi him. IL l. q uits
bot true ssyirg that "You csnuo, nske
silk purse oct ofs sow's ear" So II IL
.Qdally true that 10 amount % sduesiiou
can develop 3 hors,msn out ~ some men.
The raising OF eoitun hss long been made
especially In the southern States. Yet Is
IL Dot proc sime on every hand that "klng
Cotton" IL the curse OF the Sou,h, aud
thst mixed hu.bsndfy should be snosiliut'
tti What l sivOcsie l., not that every
farmer shall mskes csyslfy camp or his
farm. breeding from any and every Inferior
mare. psfhsps having hereditary blemishes
that are almost certain 10 be transmitted
10 the Offspring. bat th,t he shall exercise
great care Ia the choice OF mare and stall
lion, and base his seiion upon sysiem 10.
stead % luck. aud rot make hof,e breed
Ing = specially, keep, he De espeelNly
adapted 10 the busioess.